Hong Kong Island

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I find myself waking up at 3 AM every morning to write in my journal. Still jet-lagged. I miss vegetables. In HK, fungus, corn, and bokchoy are all you seem to be able to get in the restaurants. I have to admit that it's probably because I don't know the language. The menus are largely a mystery to me. My brother had been to HK when he was in the Navy and he recalls having to make cow sounds to indicate he wanted beef and flap his arms like he had wings when he wanted chicken. How do you imitate a vegetable? I thought I would never say this, but thank god for Mc Donald's!!! I was able to order a garden salad with some tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and kidney beans and yes a filet-o-fish in HK tastes exactly the same as one in the U.S.

Today we crossed the bay via the Star Ferry to Hong Kong Island, 10 minutes long and undoubtedly one of the cheapest ferry rides I'll ever take (with the exception of the free Staten Island ferry) $1.7 HKD, or about 25 cents US. You get an awesome view if the HK island skyscrapers dominated by the IFC building, forming a truly distinct skyline.

Hong Kong Island is the prettier step-sister to Kowloon. Working your way past the main post office and into the myriad of skyscrapers and you start to realize you're in as high class a joint as you can get in Hong Kong. Suits of the male and female kind are everywhere. My brothers and I got lost in a maze of upscale shops until we finally found the Peak Tram, a modern and computerized funicular railway system (teeheehee wikipedia makes me sound so smart!) which would take us to the top of Hong Kong island. The ride is 45 degrees straight to the top and well worth it. I was at the top for some time writing my first set of postcards. In my usual unladylike fashion, I was sitting side-saddle on the bench with one leg bent toward me while I was writing and the guard came over and scolded me not to sit in such a manner. Eeek! I have to remember where I am sometimes.

Later we took the super efficient MTR subway to the seedier part of HK island, Wan Chai, to find some cheap grub. On the way, we wandered into an open air market where seafood of all kind was being sold. Fresh fish and turtles slaughtered before you eyes, meat parts and entrails hanging everywhere, and live chickens penned up so they could hardly move. This did nothing to affect our empty growling stomachs. My brothers are known to eat anything in almost any condition as long as it tastes good. Everything is in chinese, however, and this is beginning to become a problem and we're largely relying on pictures of the food.

We're realizing that there's not much to do in Hong Kong but shop, eat, and get foot massages. By the way, there are a lot of foot massage places in HK that range in quality, cleanliness and price. But the best one I went to was Ocean Foot Bath in Mong Kok (3/F San Fat Mansion, 218-220 Sai Yeung Choi Street South). They're open from 11AM to 6AM everyday and have an afternoon special (before rush hour special) $88HK or about $13US for the best foot massage of your life. They've got a relaxing well-decorated and designed modern massage area with dim lights, super comfortable chairs each equipped with a moveable LCD TV screen. They also do full body massages for $88HK during the special hours and upon request, chinese style pedicure where they shave off your calluses with a variety of sharp blades. Ask to get a massage or pedicure from Shirley.

Tomorrow, we're leaving HK for a day trip to Macau. Not sure what we'll find there but we need a change of pace from Hong Kong.

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